Concussions in Paralympic sports: A systematic review

Introduction: The Paralympic movement has grown rapidly over the last few years. As participation in Para sports increases, so do its sport-related injuries. A particular injury constitutes sport-related concussions (SRC). However, the data regarding its epidemiology in Para sports has been inadequately researched. Therefore, this review aimed to investigate the occurrence of SRC in Para sports. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Results: 13 articles were included in this review. Wheelchair Basketball, Sledge Hockey, Blind Football, Para Swimming, Para Judo, and Para Skiing are most commonly affected by SRC. Sledge hockey reported 4.5 SRC per 1000 athlete sports exposure hours (AEH) and Para Swimming reported 0.5-0.6 SRC per 1000 AEH. Visually impaired athletes reported 1.24 SRC per 1000 AEH. Women reported 0.8 SRC per 1000 AEH whereas men reported 0.3 per 1000 AEH. Discussion: Para sports such as Wheelchair Basketball, Sledge Hockey, Blind Football, Para Swimming, Para Judo, and Para Skiing are differently affected by SRC compared to non Para sports. The increased incidence in Para Swimming and visually impaired athletes can be explained by the respective conditions due to different disabilities. The high incidence of SRC in women is similar to observations in non Para sports. Despite reported studies, SRC in Para sports may still be underreported.
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Bibliographic Details
Subjects:
Notations:biological and medical sciences sports for the handicapped
Tagging:Gehirnerschütterung
Published in:Deutsche Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin
Language:English
Published: 2024
Online Access:https://www.germanjournalsportsmedicine.com/archive/archive-2024/issue-3/concussions-in-paralympic-sports-a-systematic-review/
Volume:75
Issue:3
Pages:83-89
Document types:article
Level:advanced